Improvement in toy building-blocks



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

GEORGE G. SHELTON, OF BIRMINGHAM, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN' TOY BUILDING-BLOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 211,528, dated January 21, 1879; application filed December 10, 1878.

To all whom it may concern .7 Be it known that I, GEORGE G. SHELToN, of Birmingham, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AlphabeticalBlocks and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification.

-My invention relates to an improvement in alphabetical blocks; and it consists in making the blocks of such a shape that they can 'be used to build the figure of a human being or any animal, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The accompanying drawing represents my invention.

arepresents the'legs, which are here shown as simply supports for the other part of the figure. Upon the top of these legs is placed a large round flat block, 0, which has its outer edge beveled away, so as to be wider on top than 011 the bottom. Upon the top of this block may be made a number of the letters of the alphabet, and on the under side a number of figures, or both figures and letters, together with any designs, pictures, or sentences that may be desired. Upon the top of this block 0 are placed a number of triangular blocks, d, which, when placed'together in their proper positions, form one large round flat block, that forms the center of the body of the figure that is being built, just as the block 0 forms the lower portion. Each one of these triangular blocks d has four fiat sides, upon each one of which is made a letter, figure, sentence,

picture, oraeombinationof them all. Upon the tops of these blocks d is placed a round flat block, 0, similar in shape to the one 0, but slightly smaller, and which forms the upper portion of the body. This block has two flat sides, upon which are made letters, figures, or pictures, or all of them, as may be preferred. Upon the top of this block e is placed the head 9 of the figure, and on the head is placed the hat h.

The outside of the figure as built upon the blocks is painted or otherwise colored, so as to represent the flesh and clothes of a human being, or any other figure that may be preferred, and it is only when the blocks are separated that their nature and use become apparent.

By thus giving some form to the blocks, and making it a kind of puzzle to put them together, a childs interest in them is greatly increased, and they will be a source of amusement when the ordinary square blocks would not.

Having thus described my invention, I claim The combination of the legs a, flat blocks 0 c, triangular blocks d, and head 9, the blocks having letters, figures, or other representations on their flat sides, and having their outside edges so formed as to represent a body or figure, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of October, 1877.

GEO. G. SHELTON. 

